Hi if there are any dog trainers on this forum, how did you get started? Do you make fairly decenct money? Do you work for someone else or yourself? I've spent years, struggling, figuring out what I want to do. I've realized, duh!, dog trainer. I've been working with my dog for about 8 months now, and I love it! I was in the 4-H Dog project and did obedience and i loved it! I'm a natural with the dogs. I'm good with people however, when it comes to this it's something I feel so strongly about I tend to come on strong and is something I'm actively working on and getting better. I found a training school I really like (finally!) and am going to start training my dog there. The owner said she would consider letting me assist her and then teaching classes. That would be awesome.

As many of you know I'm really interested in dog sports. I'm actively working to have my dog trial ready before Christmas. I'm also actively training in agility. I've read many, many training books, have actually met Patricia McConnell. Do you all have any other suggestions for getting started and getting people to hire me?

I'm not a dog trainer but since no one else replied, I'll put in my 2 cents.

I would try working with local shelters/rescues. In a lot of fields that require an end 'product', this one being a well-trained dog, people like to see examples of your work. And sometimes (a lot of times) that means volunteering your work.

Would you hire someone who had no background, just their own dog to show for their training? Or would you want someone with references and some experience? Anyone can say "I'm a dog trainer."

Get your feet wet with different dogs, cats, people, whatever. I'm not sure about where you live, but around here they would be glad to have volunteers train the dogs. Or say you will work (for a discount) with the owners of any adopted pet from x shelter/rescue.

Making contacts is essential to any job, but especially if word of mouth is where you get your customers. Go to events, volunteer, show people what you can do.

Since summer is winding down, maybe offer dog sitting/walking or some other services besides training. It will get your foot in the door (literally) and would make it easier to offer your other (main) services. "I've noticed Polly likes to stand on her hind legs. I actually train dogs and could develop her love of standing on her hind legs into a cool trick." Or whatever you would say.

It might mean working for less than what you want or for free in many cases. But if this is what you really want to do, then it will be worth it.

Again, I'm not a dog trainer so what I say could be completely wrong. As a customer, this is what I would look for in a dog trainer/anyone who works with my dog.

Edit: You might also consider fostering and showing the rescue/shelter what you can do with a dog. Since one or two hours a week with a dog might not be enough.

Where in the Minnesota area are you? There's a huge variety of trainers in the Twin Cities area all hoping to reach the same goal. I'd check out a few different classes by just dropping in, to see what you like.

I enjoy training dogs, really enjoy it. I don't enjoy teaching people to train their dogs so my "trainer" days are far and few inbetween (mostly just at the school I have taught at, when they need fill in help).

That being said, we have superb resources for agility, obedience, reactive dogs, therapy dogs, nosework, pet dogs, and tracking, (I'm sure I'm forgetting some) in the area. Figure out what you like to do, and go from there.

Springerlover, I'm in Bloomington. I'm training right now at On the Run, and Tails up, though I hate Tails up and will be starting to train at Cloud 9. I went and observed a class on Sunday and the Owner and I very much have the same training philosophy. I really like her. I've also signed up for Tawzer Dog and Bow Wow Flix so I'm just getting education all over the place!

Springerlover, I'm in Bloomington. I'm training right now at On the Run, and Tails up, though I hate Tails up and will be starting to train at Cloud 9. I went and observed a class on Sunday and the Owner and I very much have the same training philosophy. I really like her. I've also signed up for Tawzer Dog and Bow Wow Flix so I'm just getting education all over the place!

If competitive obedience is your goal, I would definitely stick with OTR, (Nancy Little) but I would also look into TCOTC or Agile Canines (both Patty Fulton).

And, if you ever want to have training group, let me know. I freaking love obedience.

Springerlover, I'm in Bloomington. I'm training right now at On the Run, and Tails up, though I hate Tails up and will be starting to train at Cloud 9. I went and observed a class on Sunday and the Owner and I very much have the same training philosophy. I really like her. I've also signed up for Tawzer Dog and Bow Wow Flix so I'm just getting education all over the place!

Hi if there are any dog trainers on this forum, how did you get started? Do you make fairly decenct money? Do you work for someone else or yourself? I've spent years, struggling, figuring out what I want to do. I've realized, duh!, dog trainer. I've been working with my dog for about 8 months now, and I love it! I was in the 4-H Dog project and did obedience and i loved it! I'm a natural with the dogs. I'm good with people however, when it comes to this it's something I feel so strongly about I tend to come on strong and is something I'm actively working on and getting better. I found a training school I really like (finally!) and am going to start training my dog there. The owner said she would consider letting me assist her and then teaching classes. That would be awesome.

As many of you know I'm really interested in dog sports. I'm actively working to have my dog trial ready before Christmas. I'm also actively training in agility. I've read many, many training books, have actually met Patricia McConnell. Do you all have any other suggestions for getting started and getting people to hire me?

I worked as an assistant for a dog training school for a few years. Your mileage may vary.

The money was... not good. Very, very few people ever struck it rich training dogs. Most dog trainers I know, aside from larger facility owners, have day jobs to supplement their income.

For me, I got into dog training to network with other dog nerds more than anything. Eventually the burden of giving up a few nights a week to training and the repetitious nature of it encouraged me to stop. I'd already made loads of wonderful contacts and I'm well entrenched in the local culture, not to mention that I've made some great friends. I can't say I miss it particularly.

I started out taking classes at my facility, then I asked whether they were looking for assistants. They were, they trained me for a few weeks -- no cash, but in exchange for a class or two. If I'd stayed there a bit longer, and if I expressed interest in it, I could probably have started teaching my own classes. If the facility needs assistants they'll often ask talented clients if they're interested.

I did loads of independent learning, but in all honesty not too much of it ever actually applied to classes. The curriculum was already laid out and I was just there to suggest ways for each hander/dog team to improve.

As far as I'm concerned, a dog trainer's dog is their resume. Show people your skills through doing something special with your dog. Competitions, advanced training and showing a varied skill set are what I like to see by would-be trainers.

I also think people tend to forget that a dog trainer is normally there to train people to train their dogs. People skills > dog skills much of the time. You may know all the answers to all the problems, but if you can't communicate that to a frustrated client then you're not helpful. I think it'd be helpful for trainers to look into taking classes geared towards effective communication and education, but it's far from a standard practice in the industry.

I don't really consider myself a dog trainer...but I do occasionally get paid to help people train dogs, so I'll answer:

Like Cohen said, there's not a huge income in the field. You can TRY to get into a job doing something like training military/police dogs (although that's usually done by someone in the force) or service dogs. I know a few folks who make a living as a freelance trainer, but it's not common. For me, training (when I do it) is always a second job, random gig, etc.

I work for myself...and TBH, I'm not insured, licensed, etc. I know some people get that, but I don't make enough money doing it to be worth it. I don't think I've ever made more than $500 a year training, so I don't claim the money or anything, it's just an extra thing. If you want to make more money and be more professional, you may need to learn the basics of running a business, getting insurance, etc.

The money is pretty decent for the work. You can get paid a decent wage for not a lot of time, but finding enough clients, etc. is a little harder. Usually if you're employed by a training center, you don't get a great salary.

I did get started training my own dogs, and then volunteered with dogs from a young age, so read a ton about training...and started working with rescue dogs, later I started looking for seminars by respected trainers, began working professionally (though not training) with dogs (as a sitter, walker, day care handler, and bather), and volunteered to train behavior-problem foster dogs and shelter dogs. I started offering to help some of my dog-sitting clients and friends with dog training when their dogs had issues, and then whenever they knew someone with a training issue or puppy, they'd recommend me. I did it for free at first but once I was more confident and had references, I started charging.

I also began studying psychology with an animal behavior concentration in undergrad...I'm still on that track, on medical leave, but it's likely I'm going to drop that major to focus on my other (I'm a double major). I may not, though, I really like the field and would really like to eventually be a researcher focusing on mental illnesses in dogs (depression, anxiety, OCD, etc.).

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"My favorite color is green, green like newly cut grass. When it comes to green with envy, though, you can stick it up your @ss!" ~ Grammy

I also began studying psychology with an animal behavior concentration in undergrad...I'm still on that track, on medical leave, but it's likely I'm going to drop that major to focus on my other (I'm a double major). I may not, though, I really like the field and would really like to eventually be a researcher focusing on mental illnesses in dogs (depression, anxiety, OCD, etc.).

This is a good idea too. My major is in something else (my primary job, go figure) but my minor is in psych. Psychology has always been very simple for me and made a lot of sense but it certainly makes behaviour concepts a lot easier to understand with a psych background.